Monday, June 4, 2012

The Kimberly Process intersessional meeting kicked off in Washington
Monday with Human Rights Watch urging the diamond monitor to tackle what
it called continuing human rights violations in Zimbabwe's Marange
fields.
The meeting, which runs through Thursday, will take up a range of
topics related to the mining and trading of conflict-free rough
diamonds, a press statement from the State Department said.
The Zimbabwe delegation comprises Mines Minister Obert Mpofu,
Attorney General Johannes Tomana and civil society members, including
prominent diamond campaigner Farai Maguwu.
Human Rights Watch Africa director, Daniel Bekele urged the Kimberley
Process, under the chairmanship of Washington, to "address the ongoing
rights abuses in Zimbabwe’s Marange fields and the lack of transparency
by mining companies operating there.”
"The KP meeting should demand more tangible progress from Zimbabwe
and focus on reforming its certification scheme so that it can tackle
the human rights problems that taint diamond production," Bekele said in
a statement.
But minister Mpofu vowed he will object to any discussion that brings up the Marange rights issue.
"That will be resisted by countries that want to see the KPC succeed.
It was very clear from the opening remarks that all such attempts to
raise contentious issues will not be entertained," he told VOA after
Monday's session addressed by Kimberley Process chair, Gillian
Milovanovic among other dignitaries.
Regional Information and Advocacy coordinator, Dewa Mavhinga, of the
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, said the diamond monitor should not shy
away from the Harare rights issue.
The Kimberley Process, charged with preventing the trading of
so-called blood diamonds on the formal market, has struggled to deal
with diamonds from Marange, with Western countries maintaining the
mining of the rough gems is done at the expense of human rights.